Boiler Bayonet. The New Ranger Challenge by c/cpt Douglas Day

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1 8 December 2013 Volume 1, Issue 1 Boiler Bayonet Purdue Army ROTC Production The New Ranger Challenge by c/cpt Douglas Day Bold Warrior Challenge 2013 truly tested cadets of their endurance, military skills, and mental agility. 7th Brigade decided to revamp the competition, formally known as Ranger Challenge, into a one-day event sending cadets on a 20 mile trek across Fort Knox, Kentucky. This year, Purdue Army ROTC took a team of 9 cadets with 2 alternates: Daniel Heath (team captain), Timothy Bolger, Douglas Day, Michael Jager, Luke Huston, Joseph Bridgeman, Jacob Weber, Andrey Moskalenko, Jennifer Zoeller, James Lisman, and Jacob McNicholas. The Competition started with marksmanship, using all team members for a cumulative score. Upon completion, all 38 teams from ROTC programs in 7 th Brigade lined up for the beginning of the day s events. At 0930, the siren went off and the 4.5mi footrace began. Teams were struggling to carry their 40lbs+ rucksacks but Purdue pushed through and finished 6 th. However, only finishing the race did not give teams a chance to rest. There lying ahead of them was 16 miles of hilly terrain and over 20 events spread evenly (Continue on pg 2) Training to a New Standard by c/maj Ryan Zeoli The operating environment in the current conflicts is very different from the conflicts of last century. Leaders are faced with more decisions and more responsibility while combatting an enemy intermingled with a civilian population. Our mission is not just to defeat combatants, but to better the welfare of the local population for stability and peace. As such, training must evolve to better equip our future leaders for the increased complexity of future operations. Spring semester will show a dramatic change in training for the Boiler Battalion. This spring, cadets will use the skills attained and practiced over the past semesters to go on a mock deployment. This deployment will be to a country in conflict to support the local forces against an insurgency. Leaders will hone their skills in diplomacy, negotiation, and tactics while fighting a smart, adaptive enemy and supporting the civilian population. The operating area will be larger, the missions more varied, and the situations more realistic. Numerous opportunities will be present to allow for additional training in cadets free time including tactical missions in the field, operations planning and war gaming, and training or experience in non-combat specific situations. The purpose of this semester is to teach and enhance the basic warrior (Continue on pg 2)

2 Boiler Bayonet Page 2 of 6 Ranger Challenge (cont d) However, only finishing the race did not give teams a chance to rest. between three categories: military skills, physical, mental. Teams were to choose their own route and 4 events of each category while picking up land navigation points along the way. Team Captain, Dan Heath, made his plan and the team executed. While New Standard [cont d] the 9 man team carried out the plan, the 2 alternates participated in their own competition and performed to their highest potential. Although the primary team did not finish in the top 3, their performance was highly regarded. Half broken and completely drained of all energy, Purdue s Army ROTC Bold Warrior Challenge team returned with a sense of pride, showing the Brigade why our program is ranked among the highest in the nation. Skills while practicing Spring semester will show a dramatic change in training for the Boiler Battalion. This spring, cadets will use the skills attained and practiced over the past semesters to go on a mock deployment. This deployment will be to a country in conflict to support the local forces against an insurgency. Leaders will hone their skills in diplomacy, negotiation, and tactics while fighting a smart, adaptive enemy and supporting the civilian population. The operating area will be larger, the missions more varied, and the situations more realistic. Numerous opportunities will be present to allow for additional training in cadets free time including tactical missions in the field, operations planning and war gaming, and training or experience in non-combat specific situations. German Proficiency Badge Preparation By c/1lt Michael Bowlby Each year cadets from Purdue University Army ROTC have the opportunity to attain the German Proficiency Badge (GPB). This is a rare opportunity for cadets as the opportunity is even scarcer for active duty, National Guard, and Reserve soldiers. The badge comes in gold, silver, and bronze, each one based on standards set in each event. This is one of the few badges a cadet can attain and continue to display on their dress uniforms. To receive the badge each individual contestant must complete 8 total events to standard. The events consist of swimming, rucking, shooting, various track and field events, as well as a knowledge test pertaining to first aid. All of these events are designed to test each contestant physically and mentally. Here at Purdue, before testing begins, we conduct tryouts as well as rigorous training to prepare each individual to travel to Indiana University to achieve a gold. This year the GPB competition caught the interest in a (Continue on pg 4)

3 Page 3 of 6 Boiler Bayonet Recipient of Veterinary School Educational Delay By c/1lt Andrew Moore Over the course of the last three and a half years I have worked towards one goal: become a veterinarian in the US Army. Recently that dream came one step towards becoming a reality. This fall I was one of four cadets in the country that was awarded veterinary school educational delay. By receiving this I will commission as a 2LT with the other young men and women in my senior class, but instead of being given a branch and going to BOLC like my classmates I will go to veterinary school for the next four years. Once I finish vet school I will become a CPT and attend AMEDD BOLC at Fort Sam Houston. Throughout my ROTC career I have learned many things, but the value of patience has to be the most important. Even though I wanted to be an educational delay cadet since I started at Purdue University, I didn t actually know my fate until three weeks ago. Considering the amount of work that I had put into achieving educational delay, three years was a long time to wait. The cadre and other cadets in the program encouraged me to keep working hard, even if I didn t know what would happen to me in the future. Now, looking back, I wouldn t trade my ROTC experience here at Purdue for anything. didn t actually know my fate until three weeks ago. Combat Water Survival Training By c/pv2 Denise Duggan I was initially very excited to participate in CWST, seeing it as a change of pace from regular PT. I had never done any sort of training like CWST and I saw it was a chance to test my abilities in a new way under the context of ROTC. In addition, I swim recreationally so, I would not consider myself to be a weak swimmer and wondered how well I could hold my own against my peers. I was pretty confident going through all of the events and was eager to cheer on my battle buddies as they did the same for me. Stepping off the high dive was very exhilarating considering the fact that I had previously never fallen from that high of a distance into water before. In fact as I was falling what kept running through my head was, "Why haven't I hit the water yet? And this is a longer drop then I thought." All of the events were fun and challenging, but I found the rifle swim to be the most difficult out of all of the events due to the fact that it required so much energy to complete. I have friends in different ROTC programs in campuses across the country and from what I ve heard the ROTC program at Purdue is the only one to have CWST. Overall I think CWST is good training that could potentially help in similar situations down the road and I m glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it. Why haven t I hit the water yet?

4 Boiler Bayonet Page 4 of 6 GPB [cont d] as well as make the cuts to take the best candidates... a total of forty-five cadets from the Boiler Battalion. Myself, and the GPB NCOIC, must teach, train, and prepare each cadet for the event as well as make the cuts to take the best candidates from the Battalion, all before the event in February. This year we have been allotted ten open slots to take to IU to compete for the gold badge. We have a lot of work to do in the short month after Christmas break. From the first day of the semester every GPB candidate will be at our event specific PT session five days a week leading all the way up to the event. Meeting every morning at 0530 each candidate will be training up for swimming, running, sprinting, even high jump and shot put events. The extra-long and strenuous PT sessions will take its toll on some in the spring semester, but ten of Purdue s best will have the great opportunity to achieve the gold. Inside Scoop During Lab By c/sgt Michael Arios To catch the reader s attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story here. I liked that the OP4s hid themselves well behind cover and concealment of trees and fallen logs in the forest. It got me thinking of how I would hide myself when it was my turn to be OP4. I learned how to move better when confronting OP4 and under a simulated firefight. I feel that many first year cadets didn t have enough practice with the movement techniques. I know that we have time restraints due to scheduling, but allowing for more movement drills can help in the future. My favorite part of running lanes was receiving my tasks because it gives me a specific goal to work on practicing prior to stepping off. The role I feel underutilized in each lane is the RPG handler. I m not sure when it s appropriate to use the RPG and the special circumstances required to fire it. I noticed other cadets holding the RPG viewing it as just extra weight and not knowing how to actually operate it. I ve gone through Basic Combat Training already and have gotten how most of the weapons we use work, but I recall that no one really went over how they worked in my first year before I went to training. I feel that the FTX lanes are good so far because they give first and second years repeated tries at getting used to lanes while third years get more chances to lead.

5 Page 5 of 6 Boiler Bayonet Name: Jimmy Yo Major: Botany CADETS AROUND THE BATTALION Position in ROTC: MSII Squad Leader Name: Erin Keilly Major: Dietetics/Nutrition,Fitness, and Health Position in ROTC: MSI in Ranger Section Why did you join? I joined the Army and ROTC because I desire to gain the experience of being in the Armed Forces and spending some of my life serving. What opportunities have the program gave you? And/or how has it improved you? Joining ROTC has provided me with opportunities to meet a lot of quality people and has given me some eye opening experiences that I would not have otherwise had. Being part of the program has also provided me with structure. In terms of improvement, being a part of ROTC has greatly boosted my confidence and professionalism as a person. Why did you join?: I am in the National Guard and thought it would be a good opportunity to better myself. What opportunities have the program gave you? And/or how has it improved you? I have had the chance to prepare myself for basic training and AIT. I ve learned so much from my battle buddies. Through Ranger Section I ve been exposed to rough PT workouts, but the feeling of accomplishment afterward is more than rewarding. I feel more prepared for grueling situations not only as a cadet, but in my life in general.

6 CADETS AROUND THE BATTALION Name: Amanda Martin Major: English Education Position in ROTC: MSIV Bravo Company Commander Name: Joel Waterman Major: Agriculture systems management Position in ROTC: MSIII Ops SGM Why did you join? I joined ROTC mainly to better myself as a leader and to help pay for my college. What opportunities have the program gave you? And/or how has it improved you? The program has given me the opportunity to grow as a leader, meet and network with new people, and develop skills that cannot be taught in just the classroom alone. I have personally seen growth in communication and organizational skills while refining my military bearing. Why did you join? I joined to make a better name for myself and to be proud of my accomplishments. I was intrinsically motivated to serve my country and belong to a brotherhood rather than work a mundane job as a civilian. I strive to exceed in all that I do, and the Army presented me with the opportunities that no other organization could possibly offer. What opportunities have the program gave you? And/or how has it improved you? My college tuition is paid 100%. I would not have never been able to go to college otherwise. I have room/board paid for, otherwise I would have to work a second job. My student loans are paid off and I have a future career guaranteed. Essentially, the hard work is completely worth the benefits. My military insurance helps me pay for surgeries and any doctor's visits that I would normally have to pay out of pocket. The medical care and the education were completely worth it. My future children will have the GI bill and medical insurance as well. The program has helped pave the way to give me a fulfilling life that I wouldn't have ever been able to feasibly achieve in any other career.